Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2006-07: Beyond solid offensive play (43 goals in 64 game) and speed, Stefan Legein brings a certain feistiness to his game. This year marked his second consecutive year with over 100 penalty minutes to his name. Drafted in the second round (37th overall) of the 2007 NHL Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

2007-08: Legein played his usual hard-nosed style, and scored at a very regular pace when he was in the lineup. Chosen to represent Canada at the U20 WJC, Legein helped the team to gold, but separated his shoulder in the gold medal game. He did not return until the end of the season, but his production did not suffer in the playoffs, where Legein was dynamite finishing tied for the team lead in scoring. Legein was an OHL Second Team All-Star for 2007-08, an impressive feat for a player who only played 30 regular season games.

2008-09: Legein "retired" from hockey at the beginning of the season before returning to play for Columbus' AHL affiliate Syracuse in mid-January. After making his pro debut with the Crunch in two Calder Cup playoff games the previous season, Legein skated in 26 games for Syracuse and scored 1 goal with 4 PMs and had a -1 plus/minus.

2009-10: Legein opened his second pro season with AHL Syracuse before being acquired by Philadelphia in a trade for defenseman Michael Ratchuk in October. In six games with Syracuse he had 2 goals with 1 assist and was an even plus/minus. After joining the Flyers' AHL affiliate Adirondack, Legein regained his scoring touch. In 71 games with the Phantoms he was second on the team with 24 goals and had 10 assists. and 48 PMs. Legein's -19 plus/minus was discouraging as the Phantoms finished last in the East Division.

2010-11: Legein was unable to build on the goal-scoring success of his first season with the Flyers' organization. Due to the early season turmoil of the Phantoms season, a nagging injury, and a brief demotion to ECHL Greenville, Legein appeared in just 41 games for the Phantoms, scoring 5 goals with 12 assists and 24 PMs. He finished the season with a -16 plus/minus as Adirondack missed the playoffs for a second straight year.

2011-12: Traded from Philadelphia to Los Angeles at the start of the season, Legein played 63 games for the Kings AHL affiliate Manchester in his fourth pro season. He scored 14 goals with 11 assists and was minus-10 with 25 penalty minutes. The Monarchs finished second in the Atlantic Division and lost to Norfolk three games to one in a first round playoff series. Legein scored 2 goals and was plus-three with 15 penalty minutes in four playoff games. He was tendered a qualifying offer by the Kings in June 2012 and signed a one-year contract with Los Angeles.

Talent Analysis

Blessed with blazing speed, the Oakville, ON native plays a game tailor-made for the new, less-restrictive NHL. His work ethic and dedication to improving his game have been lauded by coaches, teammates, and scouts alike.

Photo: The fourth overall pick in 2007, defenseman Thomas Hickey is still trying to find his game in the AHL as part of the Manchester Monarchs' blue line corps. (courtesy of Fred Kfoury/Icon SMI)

The Los Angeles Kings minor league affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs, is absolutely packed and brimming with talent of all shapes and sizes. Through recent drafting and promotion of junior level prospects, the Monarchs have filled their lines and pairings with a wealth of two-way talent, defensive talent, goal-scorers, and grinders.

Photo: Two-way blueliner Jake Muzzin is one of the Los Angeles Kings' top defensive prospects playing with the AHL's Manchester Monarchs in 2012-13. (courtesy of Fred Kfoury/Icon SMI)

For many years running now the Los Angeles Kings have had one of the best youth systems in the NHL. However, with promotions of players, deals involving picks, and later round selections, the pool has diminished slightly over time. It is the natural progression of a rebuilding mode that has given the organization three top-five picks since 2007 and seven top-15 picks since 2005.

Photo: Winger Tyler Toffoli is one of the top offensive prospects in the Kings system. Toffoli managed 52 goals in 65 OHL games in 2011-12. (Aaron Bell/OHL Images)

Thanks to graduations and trades, Thomas Hickey was the only former first-round pick among the Los Angeles Kings’ prospects last season. Thin on high-profile selections, the Kings system was replete with well-rounded players seeking to strengthen their identity to carve niches at the next level. However, it was also brimming with character, industriousness, and a number of players who exceeded expectations. Shifting from high selections and home-run swings, the Kings have sought to invest later selections shrewdly as they have solidified their pro roster, which captured the Stanley Cup this past season.